Subject: Re: DIN plugs
To: der Mouse <mouse@Collatz.McRCIM.McGill.EDU>
From: Wilko Bulte <wilko@yedi.iaf.nl>
List: port-sun3
Date: 05/03/1996 22:54:01
> 
> > Does anyone know of any electronics part supply stores that have the
> > DIN plug that type4-above-keyboards use?
> 
> > I'd like to build a type3 to type4 convertor. :)
> 
> > (A SPARC _should_ talk to a type3, as far as I know, and the wiring
> > is all in the hardware FAQ...)
> 
> A SPARC will talk to a type-3, as far as signals go.  I've never dared
> directly connect it, for fear the keyboard power fuse on a SPARC is
> rated for type-4 and above, ie, that a type-3 would blow it.  However,
> if you break out the +5 line(s) and feed the keyboard +5 from a
> separate supply, and connect up just the ground and signal lines, it
> works like a charm.

I dared, on multiple IPCs. A type 3 works and keeps working without 
blowing fuses etc. This was using a home grown cable, built based
on the pinouts of the fieldengineer handbook.

> female DB-15s with a little wiring between them.  I built such a thing,
> though as I said above I connected up the +5 lines on the "keyboard"
> connector to a separate power supply, rather than to the +5 lines on
> the "machine" connector.

On IPCs at least this does not seem to be necesarry

Wilko
_     __________________________________________________________________________
 |   / o / /  _   Wilko Bulte             email: wilko@yedi.iaf.nl
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